Machine for treating fabrics



Jan. 7, 1930. T. A. BRYSON ET AL 1,742,196

MACHINE FDR TREATING FABRICS Filed Jan. 18, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR'S ATTORNEY Jan. 7, 1930. T. A. BRYSON ET AL 1,742,196.

MACHINE FOR TREATING FABRICS Filed Jan. 18, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 7, 1930.

UNITED STATES {PATENT omes may A. BRYSON AND Joni: .1. McKEON, orirRoY, :unw YORK, .assrenozas, ayunsnn ASSIGNMENTS, TO'TOLEURST.MACHINE WORKS, INC., 0F TROY, NEW YORKQA COR- romrron or NEW YORK MACHINE FDR TREATING FABRICS Application filed January 18, 1924. seri l a... ceases.

The invention relates to a novel and useful apparatus for treating fabrics, for instance, dyeing stock, .yarn, piece goods, and other materials, forv impregnating, 'carbonizing, washing, stripping, bleaching, etc. Objects and advantages of the invention will he set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferredembodiment of. the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings;

Of the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of a centrifugal mechanism embodying the mechanical features of the v invention and adapted to be advantageously used in carrying out the process; and Fig. 2 is atop view partly in section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; andFig. 3 is a top plan corresponding to Fig. 1.

The process phase of this invention is covered in our co ending application Serial No. 755,398, filed ecember 12, 1924.

broadl considered, the materials to be dyed are su jected to centrifugal action while at the same time the various, or successivelyused, liquids are forced through the materials,

preferably by'force or pressure exerted on the liquid due to the rotation of the basket.

In the preferred manner of eflecting this step, the materials in the basket are rotated relatively slowly, with the basket submerged in the wetting down water, the dye liquor, or the wash water, although such liquid may be otherwise supplied. When such submergcnce is practiced, the liquid is contained in a tank, and the tank is preferably partially or entirely closed. The basket has preferably perforate cylindrical walls and an open top; and vanes carried either on the basket Walls or tank walls are preferably utilized to force the water or other liquid-in at the top or center of the rotating basket.

The invention also includes the novel and advantageous step of treating the liquid while it is centrifugal y acting on the fabric, or

liquor be drawn off completely the like, such as boiling the dye liquor during one or more of the o erations just described, and particularly dur ng the concomitant centrifugal action and forcing of the dyeliquor through the material from the center of the although other ways for effecting this mayv be utilized, such as steam pipes within the tank, heating means below the tank, or other means. Other steps may be practicedduring the operation just described, such as the addition of mordants, fixers, or othersteps, dependent upon the nature or requirements of the particular dyeing operation.

1 It is also preferable in practice that the dye 7 before the subsequent washing of the dyed-materials,

instead of the washing being in its first stages In the-practice of the process, which is. exemplarily described as applied to dyeing,

a mere diluting of the dye liquor, and a gradual progression therefrom. Preferably also the basket is speeded up after the draining of the dye liquor, thereb substantially completely throwing off the ye liquor.

Thereafter the wash water is applied and circulated centrifugallythrough the fabric or other material. Usually, most conveniently,

the tank is filled with wash water, in such case submerging the basket, and'the water may be heated or boiled as desired. If desired, it may be satisfactory and eflicient to flow the water, or other fluid, into the centrif-' ugal by a hose onotherwisea On completion of the washing, the wash water is drawn off from the tank, and the basket spun rapidly to drythe material.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description of the'proc'ess, as well as the following detailed description thereof,

and of the mechanism or apparatus used prefarably in carrying it out, are merely exp ana- 'tory and exemplary, but are not restrictive of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the present pre- 'ferred embodiment of the invention, as applied to dyeing, including the mechanism or apparatus features thereof, atank 1 for the various liquids, such as the wetting-down water, the dye liquor and the wash water is provided, this tank drical in form and of sufficient diameter to leave a substantial space, proportioned for the practical re uirements, between the cylingrical tank wali and that of the enclosed base Preferably a completely closed tank is emv ployed, although an open tank or a partially "zontal top cross basket'shaft14 1s suspended in a bearing closed tank is sufficient and satisfactory in some instances. Access to the tank in such case, is preferably provided by an .annularly shaped flat lid 2 adapted to fit about the bass ket shaft and to close the circular opening 3 in the flat top 4 of the tank.

The form of basket provided is preferably of the suspended ty e as'this avoids the presence of bearings and drivin parts within the tank and its contained liquids. As embodied,

a frame having uprights 11 and 12 and ahoriiece 13 is provided. The

within a housing 15, supported on crosspiece 13, within which also is a pulley drive for the shaft, the detailed construction of these parts being of standard or other suit-. able-form. The driving means may be a belt 16 running over a belt pulley 17, or any other suitable form of drive.

At the bottom end of shaft 14, and suspended thereon to rotate therewith, is a basket 21, having cylindrical, rforate side walls 22,

and animperforate ottom 23. The hub-.24

is fitted on to the taperedbottom end 25 of shaft 14, and is held in place by a nut 26 or other suitable fastening means. The basket is preferably provided also with a top ring consisting of an annular inwardly directe or projectin plate 29 fastened to the top edge the process.

Further means are preferabl provided for creating or increasing the en orced circulation of the various liquids in the manner described. ,In the preferred form thereof, helically-disposed vanes 32 are provided, preferably fixed to the inner wall of the tank, and also preferably extending from the bottom to the top thereof, and inclined in the direction of rotation of the basket, although they may be inclined, if desired, in the opposite being preferably cylindirection. Preferably also vanes 33 extend inwardly alon the underside of the to of the tank or casing from the upper endso the vanes 32 to or toward the opening in the top of the basket.

Means are also provided for retaining certain kinds of materials within the basket durin g the various operations or steps, loose wool bemg an example of siich materials. For this purpose; there is provided a circular or conical wire mesh lid or screen 34, .the outer circular rim of which fits over the edges of the openin 30 in the top ring 29 of the basket, and is iield in place by suitable means such as clamping devices 35, the screen havin a central opening36, fitting about the basket shaft.

Means are provided by the invention for admitting liquids to the tank and for withdrawing them therefrom, and also for heating the liquids in the tank during the various operations or steps. As embodied, this is effected through-a port at the central bottom part of the tank. Such an opening 41 is provided at the center of the bottom 42 of the tank, this opening communicatin with a chamber 43, which is provided wit a drain valve 44, which discharges into any suitable piping in the space 46 beneath-the machine.

The embodied form of means for introducing the wetting-down water, the dye liquor, the wash water or other flulds ormaterials into the tank, comprises a pipe 47 communieating with the port 41 and provided with any suitable form of supply means, shown herein as a funnel.48, a valve 49 being provided in the pipe 47 below'the funnel.

The embodied form of means for heating or boiling the liquid within the tank comprises a steam pipe 51 communicating into the pipe 47 at 52 and provided with a suitable valve 53.

In the preferred form of carrying out the process in connection with dyeing and the ilustrated apparatus, the material, say for example piece oods, is laid into the basket in any desired orm, the basket being slowl rotated during this operation, if desired. A ter the materialis in position in the basket, if it is loose stock, such as woolfor example, the screen 34 is fitted into position to hold the material within the basket so that it will not be displaced by the circulation of the liquid. The}:{ lid 2 is then fixed in position upon the tan The tank is filled with water, the basket being rotated at slow speed, and by-means of the pipe connection, steam is blown into the water, bringing it to the desired temperature in case it is desired to heat the wetting-down water, as is usually done. During the rotation of the submerged basket in the closed tank, the water will be forced into the top and center of the basket and "will be forced out through the perforate walls of the basket cause distribution and even impregnation of the dye liquor. The dye liquor is forced through the materials in the submerged, rotating basket in the manner already described for the wetting-downwater, and a rapid, thorough and uniform dyeing of the material is thus effected.-

The temperature of the dye liquor is gradually raised, in the present embodiment by blowing in steam, and is usually raised to the boiling point. The boiling is then continued during the centrifugal-action, and the forcing of the dye liquor continuously through the material through the cooperation of the rotating basket and the vanes upon the tank walls. Any other agents or materials may be added to the dye liquor as desired or required for the particular dyeing operation, until the dyeing process is completed.

After the-completion of this operation, the dye liquor is drawn olfthrough the-opening of the valve 44, and the rotation of the basket is preferably accelerated to high speed to remove the remainderof. the dye liquor fl om the material.

Thereafter the valve 44 is closed and the tank is filled through the piping system with the wash water, and the wash water may be heated or boiled to any desired degree, and for any desired time during the washing operation. Duringthis operation also, the water is forced under pressure through the material thoroughly and uniformly by the centrifugal action and the pressure placed upon the water in the closed tank due to the rotation of the basket and the action of the .vanes upon the tank walls as already described. When the washing operation is completed, the water is drained oif and the basket is rotated at ltigh speed to dry the material,

which is them ready for removal from the Itwill be understood that changes may be made in theste s or sequence of steps of the process, or in t e construction of the apparatus or mechanism, within the scope of the accompanying claims, without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What we claim is f 1. In the rotatable basket of a, centrifugal machine for use in dyeing, in combination means for supplying liquor to the basket with and extending downwardly and inwardly therefrom. V

2. A centrifugal machine for use in dyeing including in combination a tank, a basket rotatably supported from above said tank, an annular liquor deflecting member inclined upwardly and inwardly" away from the top of the basket walls, downwardly and inwardly extending perforate material-retaining means attached to th'eannular member at the inner periphery thereof to receive the flow of liquor and allow substantially all of said. liquor to be forced through the contents of the basket.

3. A centrifugal machine for use in dyeing including in combination a tank, a basket having an open top supported from above said tank, a retaining screen for said basket extending downwardly thereinto and upwardly and inwardly sloping liquor-deflecting means associated with said basket tending to render the radially outward flow of liquor near the top thereof uniform with re spect to the remainder of the basket.

4Q A centrifugal machine for use in dyeing including in combination a tank, a rotatable 'basket having a bottom flat at itsouter edge ing material therein comprising a perforate member'downwardly and inwardly directed and attached to the upper edge of said basket.

6. A centrifugal machine for use in dyeing including in combination, a tank, a rotatable basket in said tank, an annular ring attached to the upper edge of the basket means for re-.

taining material within said basket comprising a perforate member downwardly and inwardly directed from the inner edge of said ring, and means for supplying liquidsto the perforate member.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

TANDY A. BRYSON.

J OHN' J. MoKEON.

substantial uniformity when'the basket is rotating including an annular liquor-deflecting member inclined inwardly and upwardly away from the basket walls and a perforate cover member releasably attached to said annular member at the inner periphery thereof 

